Phoenix Suns: Complete 2018 offseason grades

Adding Trevor Ariza

With short-term needs at the 1 and the 4 entering the summer (and potentially long-term needs if Okobo and Bender don’t pan out), it was a bit surprising to see the Suns’ first — and only — major move in free agency revolve around yet another wing in Trevor Ariza.

Phoenix signed the 14-year veteran to a one-year, $15 million deal, overpaying in order to land his two-way skill-set and extensive experience for a young roster that needs all of those qualities. After drafting Josh Jackson fourth overall the year before, not to mention adding Bridges in this year’s draft, McDonough had enough wings to build his own airplane fleet.

It was worth questioning who the odd man out might be among that group.

Whether T.J. Warren (or another player) winds up being dealt, Ariza makes sense on this kind of short-term deal. If the Suns move Warren, this will be a one-year learning experience for Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges as they soak up information from Ariza before preparing to eat up his minutes once he leaves next summer.

If the Suns keep Warren, more minutes will be available for all three young wings once Ariza is gone, providing them with a year of an on-court examples to help the team improve in both the short- and long-term.

Either way, Ariza’s 3-point shooting, wing defense and positional versatility unlocks a plethora of small-ball lineups for head coach Igor Kokoskov. He doesn’t address the team’s biggest positional needs, and playing Ariza as a full-time small-ball 4 would be ill-advised for the physical toll it’d exact on him, but this is still a good addition that moves a young team in the right direction.

Grade: B